What  Started  it  All

Family photos can feel like a massive amount of work. I get it. You plan perfectly, coordinating outfits. You choose between sleeping in on Saturday morning or giving your kids dinner at a decent hour just to chase that soft, glowy wrap-around-you light. You’ve bribed everyone to cooperate, but suddenly someone is going back on that, and the reward of post-session ice cream is in jeopardy. Then you’re watching little Jimmy like a hawk so that he doesn’t get grass stains on his new khakis mid-session, and silently hoping the baby’s diaper is as leak-proof as the package promised. You know it isn’t. All this effort, just for a couple of good shots to send to grandma. 

I’ve been there. When my kids were little, organizing family photos felt like scaling a sheer cliff; fun if you’re into that sort of thing but also demanding. Getting them to play along was a bigger challenge. Then one day, I decided I didn’t care about perfect. I ditched the plan, grabbed a couple of bubble wands, and headed to our neighborhood park a couple of blocks away. They played, I shot. 

My daughter ended up with bubble liquid all over her dress, and those photos are still some of my favorites. We had fun, and it didn’t feel like work. When I look at the photos now, I remember the fun we had that day. I remember taking the time to be present with them. I remember who they were then and not just what they looked like at ages five and seven.  That session sparked the idea that what I’d done for myself, I could do for others. So, let’s play. Let’s throw a ball for the dog. Let’s grab an ice cream during your session instead of saving it for after. Let’s take some photos you’ll actually love.